WARNING: The following contains spoilers for My Dress-Up Darling Episode 8, "I Really Recommend Backlighting" now streaming on Funimation and Crunchyroll.
My Dress-Up Darling is a shojo-style seinen anime starring the meek doll maker Gojo Wakana and his lively new friend Kitagawa Marin, an enthusiastic cosplayer. The two struck up an unlikely friendship in Episode 1 and have been exploring the wonderful world of cosplay together ever since.
Gojo and Marin have already covered a lot of ground and the former in particular is learning much about life. He and Marin have already made serious progress with their shared hobby and their relationship, and when they visit the beach in Episode 8, they re-enact their entire story thus far without realizing it. This is no ordinary beach episode.
How The Beach Summarizes Gojo & Marin's Friendship
On the surface, Episode 8 appears to be an obligatory anime beach episode -- even shows like My Hero Academia and The Saga of Tanya the Evil have them. However, while other series feature a large group at the beach, My Dress-Up Darling features Marin and Gojo alone together, with their new friend Juju being notably absent. Instead, this is a private party where the narrative focuses on the budding relationship between its two main characters and how far they have come in a short time. Their bond has gone already through some important twists and turns, and this beach episode knows it.
It was the whimsical and proactive Marin's idea to visit the beach, and Gojo is dragged along for the ride. That echoes how Marin took the lead in asking him to become her new tailor for cosplay -- indeed, the entire plot was launched because of her go-getting attitude. Next, Marin has a hamburger and fries as a snack at the beach, only for a bird to swipe the hamburger. Gojo tosses the fries for the bird to eat as well, then shares his own burger with Marin a minute later. This amusing sequence may echo how Marin tried cosplay on her own, only for Gojo to reject her original costume and replace it with his own design. Marin knows what she wants, but she needs Gojo to help her stay on course and make adjustments along the way. That's what makes them such a good team.
Then Marin takes the lead yet again and wades ankle-deep into the water, and as she jumps around in joy, Gojo gets a brief look at her undergarments. This echoes Marin's amusing visit to the Gojo household where she assertively took the plunge and asked Gojo to measure her whole she wore only a bikini. It was awkward but necessary for Gojo, and Marin got what she needed.
Back at the beach, Gojo finds the resolve to join Marin in the water. He feels disoriented but brave at the same time, and Marin blurts out that she wants to spend the rest of the summer with him alone. That clearly symbolizes Gojo's newfound resolve to keep making cosplay with his new dress-up darling -- even if it's scary -- and his dedication has already inspired romantic feelings in Marin. Feeling flustered, Marin runs out of the water and retreats across the beach, hoping Gojo doesn't notice her blushing face. Their friendship has a whole new layer to it, and the giddy Marin can't deny it. She's wading into a whole new ocean of possibilities.
Where Marin & Gojo May Go From Here
My Dress-Up Darling's beach sequence is mostly about the past but also has plenty to say about future possibilities. Gojo's willingness to wade into the ocean, and the scene where he slipped on seaweed, suggest he may dive even deeper into cosplay and expand his knowledge, even if he slips up or makes mistakes along the way. My Dress-Up Darling may be seinen but Gojo is more like a shonen protagonist, and he should get ready for mishaps and defeats on his journey to becoming the best cosplay tailor he can be. Things have gone well so far but Gojo is already straining himself to keep up, and disaster might be around the corner.
Meanwhile, Marin blurting out her date idea makes it clear that she intends to deepen her relationship with Gojo in the near future, and summer vacation is the perfect opportunity. Many anime series crank up the romance in spring and summer, a time of energy and freedom, and My Dress-Up Darling's Marin might already be seeing Gojo as a boyfriend in the making. She's clearly serious about him, but she must be careful to not let this interfere with her cosplay career -- or to scare Gojo off. He might not be ready for this just yet.
